Back in the day there used to be an old standby that women who had short hair and dressed somewhat manish was obviously a lesbian. Luckily, our minds have opened more as a culture and most of us realize that women aren’t automatically gay if they’re a little androgynous. But even so, this new acceptance can make things a little bit confusing if you’re out at the bar and trying to hook-up with a lady. There are a few ways, not so much time honored, but more reliable than nothing, to figure out if she’s actually attracted to men.

Her Attitude

“She will dress like a boy”

A majority of lesbians won’t waste their time trying to get a guy to like them. There’s literally no point to it. Unlike the university lesbians (a.k.a. those girls who would make out with other girls at parties but turn straight once they graduate) ladies who love ladies will be going for…you’ve got it. Turning guys on just for the hell of it is like cooking a feast for someone just to throw it away. To find out if she is gay or not, and if she doesn’t come straight out and tell you then see if she shows any interest in you. If her attitude is more like a bro or just making conversation she’s not trying to cook you any sort of meal. This doesn’t automatically mean she’s gay, but it gives you a flag to watch and see if she hits on other women.

Drop a Reference

Places like Sydney are known as gay meccas. These are places that are super gay friendly and used to often signal others of the person’s sexual orientation. Try dropping a reference like, “I love Sydney. They’re really accepting of all different kinds of people. I had a friend there who was really involved in LGBT groups that weren’t so cool in our home town.” It might not be true, but it will give her the opportunity to mention that she’s part of something similar or that she’s always admired that in a place. Pair this with her interest level and you’ll be closer to figuring it out.

Take a Closer Look

“Notice the girly things that she does”

Truly, the best way to tell a lesbian, whether she’s a lipstick les or a more of the dyke type, is to look at her nails. This is especially true of those girly girls because their nails will definitely be lacking in the girly department. The nails will always be short and well-maintained. As opposed to simply cutting them off, she’ll file the sharp edges out, clean underneath, and trim the hang nails. This is for obvious reasons, but if you don’t get it think about what she’ll be doing with those hands later after she’s picked up her own hot honey at the bar. She wouldn’t want any sharp corners ruining her night.

Lesbians come in all forms, so if you’re ever unsure, don’t be afraid to ask. She’s just a person, no harm if you ask about her orientation. Just make sure you don’t come off as crude or rude.